Winding Roads, Winding Stories

My mother is here visiting for about three weeks.  Today I decided to take her for a drive along the 30 mile road to Petrolia.  I've been down this road many times, especially since I have been doing medical support for the Tour of the Unknown Coast century bike race.  And, I first wrote about it when we initially moved here almost 4 years ago now.

Now with the new Jeep, it was time to take the road again...

And it was so worth it, if just for the views...

Looking North toward Cape Medocino

the Westernmost point in the lower 48

Mattole River meeting the Pacific Ocean at

Mattole Beach

This Jeep will go anywhere...!

We then continued along the road to Honeydew which eventually

ends up at Rockefeller Redwood State Park...

Aren't these trees amazing...?

It's one of my favorite drives.

Here's the view looking up through

the sunroof... 

All in all an amazing way to enjoy

a nice drive,

and spend some quality time

with my mom...

City Living

A couple of weeks ago, my mother was reminding me that I am a city girl.  I shouldn't be thinking about cows and trucks and whether or not to get a 4x4 with a hemi engine.  She reminded me that I like small sports cars, good restaurants, and the hustle and bustle of city life.  That was tested this weekend as I went to San Francisco for our annual conference.

 I mean, what's not to miss about the glitz of the city... and don't even get me going on the food... Love, love, love the food, the variety, the preparation...

Hubert Keller, I love you and Fleur de Lys even though you've ruined me for regular food forever...

But, despite it all, I love my little cowtown.  I find I am missing my chickens and guinea fowl.  I had a dream about cows last night... seriously.  Although... I have to admit, it's been fun shopping at the Crate and Barrel store and seeing things out of the catalog.  It's been fun finding tile and fixture stores and being able to touch things before ordering them.  Ok, ok... so we'll have to still come to the city to get my fix every now and then... but I am still buying that truck...!

myPod Shuffle #17 - Felt Good on My Lips

I never liked country music. Couldn't handle the sound of it. Quickly changed the channel as soon as it came on. Now, within less than a year... less than six months actually, I have the local Big Red country station as a radio preset. We went to a local rodeo yesterday, and much to my chagrin, I actually knew the words to more than 50% of the songs playing over the loudspeaker. We, gulp, watched part of the Country Music Awards this year, and I was familiar with some of the groups... actually have some of the songs on my iPod. Eek...!!

Seriously, what's happened to me? I'm a city girl. I wanted a loft apartment in modern stone and steel with a view of downtown. I wanted a Mercedes AMG sports coupe. Now, I'm talking about trailer hitches, looking at John Deere tractors, and learning about V6 versus V8 hemis on the new 4x4 truck that I am considering buying. Actually, not considering, but at this moment actively researching and pricing, because when you live in the rural community I live in, now as a 25 acre landowner, you need a truck. With a dog or two in back. And a cowboy hat and boots... but we're still doing the research on those.